


The Homefront

by Ania



Category: Hocus Pocus (1993)
Genre: Character Study, F/M, Future Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-30
Updated: 2015-10-30
Packaged: 2018-04-28 23:00:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5108768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ania/pseuds/Ania
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Allison has everything she ever wanted, including a few things she hadn't known she wanted back when she was a teenager.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Homefront

**Author's Note:**

  * For [anaraine](https://archiveofourown.org/users/anaraine/gifts).



Allison toyed idly with the engagement ring hanging on her necklace while she sat on a stool by the cash register. The Sanderson Sisters Museum had never expanded beyond their old cabin and it was the off season, so even though Allison was the only one working she didn't have much to do. She could find some busy work, but right now she just kept watch of the lone patron browsing the gift shop. The woman had been clearly uninterested in chit chat, and Allison was fine with that. She'd have been happier with a nice conversation, but yesterday had been rough and she wasn't going to protest having a chance to stay sitting and relax.

Running this museum had always been her dream job. She was proud of her town and its history, and that had never wavered. Other dreams had changed, but not that. She'd been lucky that Salem offered her the opportunities to do everything she wanted to do.

Max and Dani had never quite bonded to Salem the way she had. It was home to them now, but they'd never adjusted to New England winters or embraced a love of history. Really though, it all worked out. Max wasn't allowed in the museum without supervision because he still had a tendency to play with the artifacts left behind. Dani had worked one shift. Halfway through she got bored and started using a novelty broomstick as bo staff. The patron who had entered unnoticed had been very unhappy about getting a face full of scratchy corn-husk bristles. Allison might've been able to save Dani's job since it was her first day, but Dani had moaned about how she'd just die if she had to go back for another shift. (She'd also stolen the broom, but Allison took it out of her paycheck.)

That left Allison to guard the book.

It did liven up her days. The witch who'd tried to steal it the day before had thrown a fireball that made solid contact. Allison wore flame-retardant clothing, so her clothes didn't catch fire, but the heat still burned her leg. Beneath today's flowing skirt was a thick layer of ointment and bandages.

For the first several years, the three of them thought it was over. They'd won, end of story. But the Sanderson sisters weren't the only witches out there, and eventually word had gotten out that they'd died again—and this time they weren't coming back. At least once a year someone tried for Winifred's book, which was still the foulest and most perverse spell book in existence. Knowing there were other witches out there though, witches evil enough to seek out the book, had woken up their curiosity. Allison used her research into Salem's history to find similar patterns elsewhere. No children would die for another's immortality while Allison, Max, and Dani were watching.

Allison's hand left the ring when the woman stepped up to the cash register with a bottle of energy potion (that is, knock-off Powerade with a Sanderson Sisters Museum label). "That will be two dollars," she said.

The woman nodded at the ring, apparently ready for a little small talk now that she was checking out. "That your mother's?" she asked, before opening her purse and starting to search for her money.

"It's mine, actually. I don't wear it on my finger because I said no." She took the two wrinkled dollars the surprised woman held out and smiled. "I keep it because he's sure I'll say yes eventually."

"Well, whoever he is, he'd be lucky to marry such a beautiful girl," the woman said, picking her drink up from the counter and turning to leave.

Allison laughed politely. "Thanks for saying so. And thank you for visiting the museum. Please come again!"

Allison never regretted staying in the town she'd lived her whole life. Salem let her pursue both her childhood dream and her duty, and it had always been her first love. Max was her second love, no doubt about that, but she wasn't going to marry her high-school sweetheart without playing the field a little. Witches couldn't be the only excitement in a girl's life. And besides, she was going to say yes. Eventually.


End file.
